Can I Claim For Injuries Through A Broken Chair Accident Claim?

By Olivia Trems. Last updated 19th March 2021. If you’re wondering ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim?’, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will explain your rights in this situation and talk you through the legal process.

Many of us use chairs on a daily basis—on public transport, in the park, in cafés or restaurants, or at work. If you suffer an injury caused by a broken chair, you may not be aware that you could claim compensation for your injuries provided someone had been negligent in protecting your health and safety by allowing you to use a broken chair. 

This guide will explain all you need to know when looking to make a broken chair accident claim. Included in the sections below is information about the types of situation that could lead to a broken chair accident, how you could go about making a claim, and how much compensation you could receive for your injuries. If you have any questions about making a claim or would like to check your eligibility, you can reach our team on 0333 000 0729. Otherwise, why not take a look at the guidance below to see if you could claim?

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A Guide To Broken Chair Accident Claims

'how do I make a broken chair accident claim?'

‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim?’

Depending on your situation and the activities you do on a daily basis, you may sit on numerous chairs each day, from the seat you take in a café, to your office chair or even a seat on public transport. You would normally expect a chair to support you as you sit. But if the chair is not fit for use, this may cause it to collapse, tip or tilt, potentially causing you to suffer an injury.

Here, we take a look at what kinds of situations could lead to a broken chair accident claim. If you’re wondering ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim?’, we’ll provide all the information you need in the guide.

Also provided below is information on common injuries that could be caused by such an accident as well as the compensation amounts that could be appropriate for those injuries. In further sections, you will find guidance on how to go about making a claim for compensation, as well as how to find a lawyer to help you.

What Are Broken Chair Accident Claims?

If you’re wondering ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim?’, it may first help to understand exactly what a broken chair accident claim is.

Any type of injury caused by a broken or faulty chair could lead to a broken chair accident claim, providing you can prove that someone was responsible for the chair. Whether you have received a laceration from a broken chair on a train, been injured because of a broken chair leg in a restaurant, or suffered injuries when your office chair collapsed, you could be entitled to compensation.

Certain parties have a duty of care to ensure your safety, such as employers, schools, businesses, and even local authorities if you are on their premises. This means that they should ensure that available equipment is fit for use, and faulty equipment, including chairs, is removed or signposted as a hazard so that you would not be injured by it. If a liable party was negligent in doing this, then you could make a claim if you suffered injuries.

Common Injuries Caused By Broken Chair Accidents

If you suffer an injury caused by a broken chair, this could range from something minor to something more severe, depending on how high the chair was, what you fell into and how you landed.

Common injuries from a broken chair accident could include:

  • An arm injury – a natural reaction when people fall is to put their arms out to break the fall. This could cause arm injuries such as broken bones, soft tissue injuries or dislocations.
  • A hand injury – with arms outstretched, our hands could take the brunt of the force when we hit the ground. This could cause a wrist injury or a hand injury. Whether you have broken a bone in your wrist or your hand, this could be painful and make it difficult for you to perform certain tasks until your injury heals.
  • A back injury – these are considered common chair tipping injuries. If a chair was to tip back, and you fell on your back, this could cause a lot of pain. Back injuries could take some time to heal in some cases, and you might have to take time off work while you get better, particularly if your job involves lifting.
  • A head injury – You could also suffer a head injury in a fall from a collapsed chair or a chair that has tipped backwards. Head injuries can range from cuts and gashes to lasting brain damage.

Faulty chair claims could also include injuries such as lacerations. If a chair is broken and sharp parts of the chair are exposed, you may suffer cuts or puncture injuries which could be painful and may require stitches that could leave a scar.

Whatever type of injury you’ve suffered, if it has been caused by negligence on the part of a liable party, you could make a broken chair accident claim. If you’re wondering ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim?’, the next section could help if the incident occurred in the workplace.

Claims For Accidents At Work Caused By Broken Or Damaged Chairs

All employers have a legal duty of care towards their employees. If you suffer injuries in a broken chair accident at work because your chair collapsed, it may be because your employer has failed to make sure the chairs you were using were safe. If your employer knew that there were chairs that needed to be fixed or replaced, they should be removed from service so they aren’t used. If they aren’t removed, and you suffer office chair injuries as a result, you could make a broken chair accident claim against them.

Making a claim against your employer could feel a little daunting, but you can rest assured in the knowledge that it is illegal for your employer to treat you any differently if you decided to pursue a claim. If they did, you may have grounds to pursue a separate claim under employment law. The Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 makes it a legal requirement for companies to have employers’ liability insurance for the very purpose of compensating injured employees. 

If you’re wondering ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim?’, we have provided some further reading material for you at the end of this guide. Alternatively, we would also be more than happy to discuss this over the phone.

Claims For Accidents Caused By A Broken Chair On Public Transport

If you were injured on public transport due to a broken chair that had not been removed or repaired, such as a broken plastic seat having sharp edges, you could make a claim against the owner or operator of the transport you were taking. Similarly, you could also make a broken chair accident claim if you suffered an injury because a chair collapsed if it can be shown it was not fit for use.

While some public transport is run by the local authority, other methods are run by private companies. Who you would pursue a claim against would depend on who was operating the transport you were using when you were injured.

If you’re wondering ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim?’, the next section could be of use if your accident happened in a restaurant or the like.

Claims For Accidents In A Cafe/ Restaurant Caused By A Broken Chair

Going to a restaurant is supposed to be an enjoyable experience. You may not expect a risk of broken chair accidents to be present in such an environment.

If, however, you have visited a restaurant or café and a chair collapsed under you, causing you to suffer an injury, you may be entitled to compensation if you could prove that the restaurant should have taken care to remove the defective chair, or maintain their chairs to ensure they were fit for use.

Claims For Accidents Caused By A Broken Chair In A Public Place

Whether a chair broke in a library, or you were injured by a broken chair in a council office, if you could prove third-party liability, you may be able to make a broken chair accident claim. If you’re wondering ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim?’, this section will address how to do so for public place accidents.

Depending on where you suffered a broken chair injury, the liable party could include:

  • A local authority – if you suffered an injury caused by a broken chair in a council office, or you were injured by a collapsed chair in a council-owned leisure centre, for example, the local authority could be held liable if they have been negligent in ensuring their chairs were fit for use.
  • A local business – Whether you were injured by a collapsed chair at a supermarket, bar, club or another type of business, the business owner could be held liable if they were negligent in ensuring that chairs within their premises were maintained to a reasonable standard.

If you are unsure as to who a broken chair claim in the UK could be launched against, our team could help. All you need to do is simply call our helpline on 0333 000 0729 for advice and support.

Claims On Behalf Of A Child Injured By A Broken Chair

Has your child suffered injuries at school because a chair collapsed or was broken? A school has a duty of care towards its pupils and if your child is injured because care and attention have not been given to the upkeep and maintenance of the facilities, including chairs, they could be held responsible. The same could be true of any setting your child was injured in, as long as a third-party liability could be proved. If you’re wondering ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim?’ on behalf of a child, this section could help.

If you are wondering what the personal injury claims time limit could be for such claims, it depends on who would be making a claim. An adult responsible for a child could make a broken chair accident claim on their behalf, and they would have until the child turned 18 to pursue the claim. If a parent or guardian didn’t make a claim, a child would have three years from the date of their eighteenth birthday to file a claim of their own.

Broken Chair Accident Claims Calculator

If you’re wondering ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim?’, you may be interested to know how much compensation you could be awarded for your injuries. We don’t recommend the use of an online personal injury claims calculator, as they can offer inaccurate figures due to their inability to consider the individual circumstances of your case.

Instead, we have collated some information from guidelines published by the Judicial College into a table. This legal publication details injuries and the compensation awards made in similar previously decided cases. They could offer some insight into how much you may be eligible to claim yourself.

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These figures relate to specific injuries that we feel could be relevant to this type of accident. If you have suffered an injury that is not included in this table then you could still claim for it, and if you’d like to get an approximation of how much your injury could be worth, our team could provide this to you over the phone.

InjuryCompensation BracketNotes
Foot Injury – Moderate£12,900 to £23,460If you have sustained displaced fractures of the metatarsals that have led to deformities that are permanent, your claim could fall into this bracket. You may also have sustained foot injuries leading to future surgery being required, or that carry a risk of osteoarthritis in the long-term.
Knee Injuries – Moderate£13,920 to £24,580Dislocations, tearing of the cartilage or the meniscus that result in instability (minor), some level of weakness, wasting or other mild disabilities could be put into this bracket.
Leg Injuries – Moderate£26,050 to £36,790Multiple or complex fractures/crush injuries. Usually to one limb. The extent of treatment required, as well as the risk of degenerative changes could be used to calculate the payout, along with how perfect the union of fractures was, whether there was scarring and more.
Index finger fracture£8,550 to £11,480N/A
Hand injury – less serious£13,570 to £27,220One example could be a crush injury (severe) that impairs the function significantly without surgery in the future, or regardless of surgery that has already been performed.
Wrist injury£44,690 to £56,180Resulting in a complete loss of function
Shoulder injury – Moderate£7,410 to £11,980Limitation of movement with frozen shoulder – symptoms could last up to 2 years. Soft tissue damage with non-permanent symptoms which last for over 2 years.
Beck Injury£11,730 to £26,050Ligament disturbance, or muscle disturbance with backache. Cases could be assessed on the severity of injury, the amount of pain thought to have been experienced, the extent of treatment that is/would be needed and the effect of the injury on the claimant’s ability to function.

It’s important to remember that the figures in this table are estimates only. To determine a precise valuation, you would, as part of the claims process, need to be examined by a medical expert who would investigate the extent and causes of your injuries and provide a prognosis on recovery.

Special Damages Claimable For Broken Chair Accidents

If you’re wondering ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim?’ to recover accident-related costs, this section could help.

As well as receiving compensation for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity experienced as a result of the injuries sustained from a broken chair accident, it’s also possible to recover any financial expenses or losses incurred or those you will incur in the future.

Examples of things that can be claimed include loss of earnings, medical expenses, travel costs, care costs and more. We would advise claimants to keep proof of such costs, such as pay slips, bank statements and receipts. Without evidence, it will be difficult for you to recover the costs of such things.

Steps To Take If Injured In A Broken Chair Accident

Here are some steps that we would advise if you’re wondering ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim?’.

The first thing to do if you have been injured in a broken chair accident is to seek medical advice. Seeing your GP for a minor injury, going to the minor injuries unit close by or visiting A&E for more serious injuries should ensure that you are able to benefit from advice and treatment, should you need it.

As well as this, there are other things you might want to do. These could include:

  • Reporting the accident – If you were injured by a chair at work, you should report the incident as soon as possible to those responsible for health and safety in your workplace. If you are in another place, such as in a restaurant, reporting the incident to restaurant staff would be appropriate.
  • Gathering witness details – If anyone witnessed the events that led to your broken chair injury, it would be a good idea to ensure that you have their contact details. They may need to be called upon to provide a witness statement if you were to go forward with a claim.
  • Keeping a record of what happened – It may also be a good idea for you to write down all the events that led to your injuries. This could be a good reference to look back on. 
  • Getting legal advice – Whether you would like an assessment of your broken chair accident claim, to see if you could be eligible for compensation, or you’re wondering how much compensation your case would be worth, you could benefit from getting legal advice on your situation. A consultation with an advisor from Legal Helpline could help with this. Our team could offer you guidance and support if you were injured in an accident caused by a broken chair, and we could do so without any obligation to use our services.

How Legal Helpline Could Help You

Wondering ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim’? If so, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.

We’ll be able to give you a free assessment of your broken chair incident to let you know whether you could be eligible for compensation. What’s more, we could put you in contact with our panel of personal injury lawyers specialising in these types of claims.

Solicitors on our panel have over 30 years of experience and strive to obtain the maximum amount of compensation possible for their claimants. They’ll guide you through the complexities of the legal process, explaining legal jargon along the way. If at any time you have a query or would simply like an update on your case, your solicitor will never be more than a phone call away. 

For details on the No Win No Fee agreements our panel could offer you, please see the next section.

No Win No Fee Claims For Broken Chair Accidents Or Injuries

If you’re wondering ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim’ without paying out of pocket, a No Win No Fee agreement could be the answer.

An expert solicitor from our panel will offer you the opportunity to enter into a No Win No Fee Agreement, also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). The CFA is designed to offer the claimant’s financial protection and the confidence to pursue justice. It ensures that you do not have to pay any fees upfront or during your claim, and if your case doesn’t succeed, your solicitor will write off their fees and will not try to recover them from you. 

If you do succeed, your solicitor might seek a small contribution toward their fees. Referred to as a ‘success fee’, the contribution would be taken from the compensation awarded at the end of the claim. Success fees are capped by legislation so you don’t have to worry about losing a big chunk of your compensation.  We understand that you may have further questions about how this works, which we would be happy to answer. Simply get in touch with our team if you’d like to find out more.

Start Your Broken Chair Accident Claim

Whether you’re still wondering ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim?’ or you’re ready to see how our panel of personal injury lawyers can help your case, we can be contacted in several different ways.

However you prefer to contact us, we’re ready to help you.

How do I make a broken chair accident claim? FAQs

How long after an incident can you make a claim?

Personal injury claims have typical time limits of 3 years. This is effective from either the accident date or the date you acquired knowledge that you suffered as a result of the accident. Exceptions apply for some claimants, however, including those under 18.

What happens if I lose my personal injury claim?

In the rare case that you should lose your claim, our team at Legal Expert will never accept payment unless compensation is awarded. This is all part of the No Win No Fee agreements that we offer our clients.

Reference Materials

General Advice On Accident At Work Claims – Here, we take a look at accidents at work in more detail, whether you have suffered office chair injuries, or you have been injured in another type of workplace accident.

Arm Injury – Have you suffered arm injuries because of a broken chair at work? If so, this guidance could be of use to you.

Head Injury – Have you suffered an injury to your head because a chair collapsed at work? If so, this guide could be of interest.

Chairs As A Health Hazard – Here, the British Safety Council provides information on health risks associated with chairs.

Seating At Work – HSE – Here, you can read a publication regarding chair safety at work.

Case Study – Adequate Seating – This case study looks at one instance where inadequate seating caused an injury.

Thanks for reading our guide that addresses the question of ‘how do I make a broken chair accident claim?’.